Sandy M’s review of Every Day of My Life by Lynn Kurland
Time Travel Romance published by Kurland Book Productions 20 Sep 24
It’s been a while since I’ve read Lynn Kurland. I’ve been telling myself I want to get back into time travel, one of my favorite subgenres of romance. The last one I tried didn’t work for me, so when I saw Ms. Kurland published this book last month, I jumped at the chance to get lost in a really great read. And that’s definitely what it is. Her writing is a good as ever, and despite a few hiccups, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Patrick Phillips has been sent to Scotland for a vacation of sorts by his mates who love to cajole and tease him relentlessly. So with his to-do list from the lads in hand, he is intent on enjoying himself as much as possible on MacLeod and Cameron lands, the two clans now getting along after a lengthy medieval history. He ends up being thrust back in time through one of the gates Jamie MacLeod has mapped out over the years, and that’s when he’s taken with Mariead MacLeod, a plain clanswoman when compared to her sisters.
Mari is used to her place in the clan and life, never getting too excited about suitors, knowing she’ll be last in line if and when something more happens. But after a few fits and starts of what she learns is traveling through time, she is fascinated with Patrick and the future when she finally gets a glimpse. The story here and there does get a bit convoluted when it’s discovered Mari has been more involved in Patrick’s life than their current here and now. I’m not sure I understood it all, but even the gist is enough to know these two belong together, and you have to keep hope alive that Patrick will be able to keep her from certain death.
I enjoyed catching up a bit with previous characters from the MacLeod Family series, especially Jamie – he’s always been my favorite since the first book years ago. Despite all the time he’s spent in the future, he’s still got his old-fashioned medieval ways when it comes to his many-times great granddaughter. There are plenty of times you’ll laugh out loud, but also just as many times you’ll shake your head at the typos and other errors throughout. But that doesn’t keep the enjoyment at bay, because Ms. Kurland is an ace at her craft.
So don’t let this one get by you. It’s well worth the read. And it definitely has me more interested than ever in getting back into time travels.
Grade: A
Summary:
Oliver Phillips can’t think of a worse place for a holiday than Scotland, land of midges, rain, and Highlanders with swords. His freedom from his enforced seclusion hinges on three things: avoiding very sharp Claymores used by those Highlanders, completing a program of self-care perfectly curated to refresh and restore his ability to do serious damage to the friends who’ve sent him on his unwanted holiday, and, most importantly, avoiding any and all gates through time that might lead him to encountering any possible maidens in Renaissance distress who might be in need of a rescue.
But two out of three isn’t bad . . . right?
Mairead leads a Cinderella-like existence despite being the oldest daughter of the laird of the clan MacLeod. When she miraculously finds a book about a saucy kitchen maid and the Duke who adores her, she’s convinced she has the key to escaping her own terrible straits. Her problem? She only has the first half of the curiously written manuscript and she’s convinced the solution lies in the remainder of the missing tale.
And when a man who looks just like the gallant nobleman on its cover walks out of the magical forest near her home, she knows she’s found the one person who can show her how to have a different life entirely . . .
But sometimes the past and the future become intertwined in unpredictable ways and the best-laid plans, even on holiday in Scotland, can go awry, leaving two souls wondering just how far they’ll have to bend time to have their own happily ever after . . .
